Mining/Geology

De Re Metallica – Georgius Agricola [the Hoover Translation]

This is the second printing of the famous Hoover translation of the equally famous 16^th Century monumental publication by Georgius Agricola on all things then known in mining, metallurgy, geology etc.

Longer title … De re Metallica translated from the first Latin edition of 1556 with biographical introduction, annotations and appendices upon the development of mining methods, metallurgical processes, geology, mineralogy & mining law from the earliest times to the 16^th century by Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover.

This edition, published by Dover, New York in 1950. 638 pages after xxxi preliminaries, illustrated throughout from the images of the original wood engravings. Blue green themed dust jacket variant. Jacket near perfect. A very good to better copy.

The series of books within the book (an early style) I Arguments against the art of mining II The miner and the mining of veins III Veins and stringers and seams in rocks IV The method of delimiting veins and the functions of the mining officials V The digging of ore and the Surveyor’s art VI The miner’s tools and machines VII The assaying of ore VIII Rules for the work of roasting, crushing, and washing the ore IX Methods of smelting ores X the work of separating silver from gold, and lead from gold and silver XI Separating silver from copper XII rules for manufacturing salt, soda, alum, vitriol, sulphur, bitumen, and glass … Agricola’s works – Ancient authors on mineralogy, mining, metallurgy- Nomenclature to be adopted for weights and measures etc.

There is so much to admire about this book … the date of the foundation work, its breadth and quality, the learning from the engravings. Strangely maybe we particularly like the section on pumps in mines – essential equipment for water bound mines and the ingenuity pre powered machines is very interesting. Regarding the translation – what a job done by Hoover(s). The difficulty must have been very challenging – for example Agricola struggled to find Latin equivalents for many mining terms so had to contrive them from everyday Latin words – Hoover then had to decipher these once and only Latin words – unsurprising that his hair was depleted.

De Re Metalicca – The Foundation Work for all Mining and related – the readable version

SORRY ON HOLD- ENQUIRE IF YOU WISH

$140.00

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Geological Reconnaissance between Roma, Springsure, Tambo and Taroom [The Carnarvon Range and Buckland Tablelands] – H.I. Jensen

A substantial report issued by the Queensland Department of Mines, Brisbane in 1926.

Standard size, 215 pages, folding coloured map near front and a further 12 maps and sections within the text. Staple bound and as often has lost its front paper cover which is a mirror of the title that now form the front. Other than that, a pretty good copy.

Content covered includes after general notes on geography of the region … The coals of Walloon, Yingerbay, Cornwall-Alcurah and Injune and the prospects for Oil. The geology of the Upper, Middle and Lower Bowen = Mineral Resources and Palaeontoology. The Taroon geology ditto Tambi-Barcaldine and again the possibility of Oil.

A scarce one on the Roma to Springsure [South of Emerald] area – and what an area it has been.

$60.00

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The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford – Robert Etheridge Jnr – 1890

A very good copy of this rare report issued by the New South Wales Department of Mines – Memoirs of the Geological Survey of New South Wales – Palaeontology No 4.

Thick hard cover, cloth crimped spine, as issued. Large format 30 cm x 25 cm.

Begins proper with a letter from Wilkinson Geological Surveyor in Charge to the Minister setting out the background and content. A railway was being built in the Hawkesbury region, and a superb group of fish fossil remains were found … they were examined by non-other than T. W. Edgeworth David who provides a “Stratigraphical Note” as an introduction along with a geological section of the “find”.

55 pages of scientific narrative are followed by ten full page plates on very thick paper / card with interwoven explanatory notes. An impressive set of engravings lithographed by Berjeau & Highley printed by Mintern Bros.

Philibert Charles Berjeau [1845-1927] was a leading London based natural history lithographer who worked hand in hand with Percy Highley [1856-1929]; the printers Mintern Bros were also London based and produced work of a high technical standard including John Gould’s Birds of New Guinea.

Rare work edited by Etheridge introduced by Edgeworth David and lithographed by a top London outfit.

$140.00

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Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Self-published by Branagan in 1992.

A fine copy, softcover, perfect bound, 174 pages, profusely illustrated from period images, and lots of maps of tracks etc.

Cover the period 1850 to 1960 and we doubt there has been much missed by an author thoroughly immersed in his task.

Cover every region of Tasmania and the number of lines referenced too many to count … and the mining industry, of course, features heavily.

Bush-Tramways – love it

$30.00

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Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1894-5 [Two Years in One] – Important Papers by James Backhouse Walker and others]

Printed by Davies Brothers Limited, Hobart in 1896 a first published.

Another important journal containing special papers particularly by James Backhouse Walker – this is the first appearance of his work on the Deportation of the Norfolk Islanders to the Derwent and his very substantial work – Abel Jansoon Tasman: His Life and Voyages which is accompanied by some very large folding maps.

To complement this latter work by Backhouse Walker, A Mault issued a paper on the Manuscript Chart in the British Museum showing Tasman’s Tracks in the voyage of 1642-4 with a magnificent multiple folding map.

Other interesting papers include the Tasmanian earthquake of 1892; Meridian observations with the Hobart Transit Instruments; various geological reports some relating to glaciation. Super stuff

Original soft wrappers, xxxviii pages followed by 66 pages [1894] and 120 pages [1895]. A very solid edition with special content. Very good condition albeit small chip top front cover.

Backhouse Walker lengthy paper of Tasman and other papers of special interest.

$120.00

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Australian Mineral Specimen – Tasmanian Crocoite

The mineral emblem of Tasmania the rare and beautiful Crocoite.

A sparkling example with large dense crystals of a very even strong colour. A super example, cased to preserve its beauty

Get some Crocoite in Your Life!!

$120.00

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De Re Metallica – Georgius Agricola [the Hoover Translation]

Geological Reconnaissance between Roma, Springsure, Tambo and Taroom [The Carnarvon Range and Buckland Tablelands] – H.I. Jensen

The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford – Robert Etheridge Jnr – 1890

Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1894-5 [Two Years in One] – Important Papers by James Backhouse Walker and others]

Australian Mineral Specimen – Tasmanian Crocoite

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